Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for cyclone separation of a fluid flow into essentially a gas phase fraction and a liquid phase fraction, by bringing the fluid flow into rotation so that the fluid flow is separated into a central zone essentially containing the gas phase fraction, and an outer annular zone essentially containing the liquid phase fraction, comprising: a housing having an upstream fluid inlet; a swirl element for rotation of the fluid flow being located in the housing downstream of the fluid inlet; a gas phase outlet opened to the central zone of the housing downstream of the swirl element; and a liquid phase outlet connecting to the outer zone of the housing downstream of the swirl element, whereby the gas phase outlet and the liquid phase outlet both connect to a common collecting chamber outside the housing. The invention also relates to a vessel provided with at least one apparatus.
Description of Related Art
Cyclone separators are known in the technology field of extraction of hydrocarbons (oil and gas). The produced fluids usually consists of liquid (oil and water) in which gas is dissolved whereby during transportation gas bubble formation and two-phase flow arises leading to undesired pulsatory flow and vibrations in pipelines. A fluid is thus defined as containing a liquid and/or a gas; a liquid may solely consist of a fluid or solely consist of a gas, or as a third alternative may consist of a mixture of a liquid and a gas. To solve these problems in extracting of hydrocarbons cyclone separation of a fluid flowing through a pipeline is realised by in line apparatuses bringing the fluid in rotation so that the fluid is separated into a central zone containing a light fraction, essentially a gas phase fraction, and an outer annular zone containing a heavier fraction, essentially a liquid phase fraction. The gas phase fraction in the central zone and the liquid phase fraction in the outer zone are discharged via respective liquid phase outlet means and gas phase outlet means. The liquid phase outlet means and gas phase outlet means both end up in a common chamber (vessel) wherein the both fractions are thus introduced in pre-separated condition thus resulting in a better and faster separation of the fractions then when introduced in such a vessel without per-separation in one or more apparatuses for cyclone separation.
A general object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and a method able to effectively separate a fluid flow by rotation (centrifugal separation) in essentially a light gas fraction and a heavier liquid fraction with higher efficiency than the prior art cyclone separation technique.